Salvia plant named ‘Evening Attire’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial  Salvia  plant named ‘Evening Attire’ characterized by its large, very dark, vibrant, blue flowers from dark violet-blue buds and calyxes, densely arranged in verticils. The new plant has a medium height, compact, rounded habit with stiff, upright, heavily-branched stems and a strong vigorous growth rate and gray-green foliage. ‘Evening Attire’ is useful for landscaping as a specimen plant or en masse.

Botanical denomination: Salvia pratensis hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Evening Attire’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(b)(6)

The first public disclosure of the new plant, in the form of aphotograph and brief description on a website operated by WaltersGardens, Inc. on Feb. 1, 2019. Subsequently, the new plant wasadvertised in the “Walters Gardens 19-20 Catalog” first distributed onMay 29, 2019. The claimed plant was first sold on Jul. 8, 2019 byWalters Gardens, Inc., who obtained the plant and all informationrelating thereto, from the inventor. Walters Gardens, Inc. obtained thenew plant and all information on the new plant from the inventor. Noplants of Salvia ‘Evening Attire’ have been sold in this country oranywhere in the world, nor has any disclosure of the new plant beenmade, more than one year prior to the filing date of this application,and such sale or disclosure within one year was either derived directlyor indirectly from the inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofornamental sage plant hereinafter referred to by the cultivar nameSalvia ‘Evening Attire’ or as the new plant. The new plant was selectedfrom a block of seedlings resulting from an insect pollination in latespring of 2014 with the unreleased, proprietary hybrid known as 13-40-2as the female or seed parent and the male parent is a sibling of 13-40-2at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA. Seed wascollected in the summer of 2014 and sown at the same nursery. The newplant was initially evaluated in the summer of 2016 and assigned thebreeder code 14-6-4 through the trial process prior to assigning acultivar name.

The new Salvia was further evaluated and asexually propagated initiallyby division and later by basal cuttings taken at the same nursery inZeeland, Mich., USA in 2016. Evaluation of these and further cuttinggrown plants shows that Salvia ‘Evening Attire’ continues to be stableand produce true to type plants in successive generations of asexualpropagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of Salvia ‘Evening Attire’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, nutrition and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

Salvia ‘Evening Attire’ can be closely compared to Salvia ‘MidnightModel’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,498, ‘Balyriclu’ U.S. Plant Pat. No.22,919, ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,148, ‘Sweet Petite’U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,285 ‘Indiglo Girl’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,254,‘Violet Riot’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,273 and ‘Moulin Rouge’ copendingU.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/873,095. ‘Midnight Model’ hasflowers that are more violet-blue on similar size plants. ‘Balyriclu’has a shorter habit with fewer and smaller flowers per inflorescence ofa slightly different hue of violet. ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ has flowers thatare darker violet with similar habit. ‘Sweet Petite’, a sister siblingto the female parent, has slightly shorter habit and flowers oflavender-pink with dark rose buds. ‘Indiglo Girl’ has lighter,indigo-blue flowers with more upright narrower habit. ‘Violet Riot’ hasviolet-blue flowers on narrower inflorescences and narrower foliage.‘Moulin Rouge’, a sister sibling to the new plant, slightly taller habitproducing deep rose buds opening to flowers that are rosy-pink. Thefemale parent, 13-40-2 was not maintained in photography or plants so nocomparison is possible. Comparison with the male parent is not possibleas it was not maintained.

The following characteristics in combination distinguish Saliva ‘EveningAttire’ as a new and distinct cultivar from all other cultivars known tothe inventor:

-   -   1. Large, very dark vibrant blue flowers densely arranged in        verticils;    -   2. Stiff, upright, heavily-branched stems;    -   3. Dark violet-blue flower buds;    -   4. Medium height, compact, rounded, strong, vigorous and        winter-hardy habit;    -   5. Rugose gray-green foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the unique traits and theoverall appearance of Salvia ‘Evening Attire’. The colors are asaccurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Variation inambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance ofminor variation in color. The plant used in the photographs was athree-year-old plant grown in an open, full-sun trial garden at awholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental waterand fertilizer when needed.

FIG. 1 shows the plant habit in full flower in a landscape.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flower scape with the buds, flowers,stems and calyxes.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references except where commondictionary terms are used are based on the 2015 edition of The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. Salvia ‘Evening Attire’ has not beenobserved under all possible environments. The phenotype may varyslightly with different growing environments such as temperature, light,fertility, soil pH, moisture and plant maturity levels, but without anychange in the genotype. The following observations and size descriptionsare based on two-year old plants growing in an outdoor full-sun trialgarden and greenhouse-forced two-year-old plants at a wholesaleperennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. Plants were given supplemental waterand fertilizer and plant growth regulators were used for the greenhousetrials only.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia pratensis hybrid;-   Parentage: Female or seed parent was the proprietary hybrid 13-40-2;    male or pollen parent was a sibling of 13-40-2;-   Plant habit: Winter-hardy herbaceous perennial; multi-stemmed,    compact, rounded, with mostly basal foliage, and flowers in several    tightly arranged verticils on branched upright racemes displayed    above foliage; in flower with panicles about 55 cm tall and about 59    cm wide at the fullest point; cauline foliage extends up the stems    about 24 cm; about 18 flowering panicles per plant;-   Propagation: By basal vegetative shoot cuttings; time to produce a    rooted stems about two weeks;-   Growth rate: Rapid, vigorous, finishing in a 65 mm container in    about 7 weeks from rooted cutting, and from 65 mm container to    flowering 3.8 liter container in about 8 weeks-   Root description: Fine, well-branched; color dependent on age and    soil type, from cream to dark tan in color;-   Foliage: Opposite; simple; slightly rugose; lanceolate; margin    irregularly crenate and sparsely ciliolate; adaxial surface    glabrous, and abaxial puberulent; acute apex and base cordate to    truncate; leaf blades about 15.0 cm long and 5.5 cm across,    decreasing in size distally; average about 13.5 cm long and 4.5 cm    across; faint sage fragrance;-   Foliage color: Young adaxial surface nearest RHS 137B, young abaxial    surface between RHS 138A and RHS 138B; mature adaxial between NN137A    and RHS NN137B, mature abaxial nearest RHS NN137D;-   Venation: Reticulate; impressed on adaxial side and costate on    abaxial side; pubescent abaxial, micro-puberulent adaxial;-   Vein color: Adaxial midrib nearest RHS 145C; adaxial primary and    secondary veins nearest RHS 147C; abaxial midrib nearest RHS 145C;    abaxial primary veins nearest RHS 145C and secondary veins gradually    darkening to nearest RHS 148C toward leaf margin;-   Petiole: Slightly concavo-convex; pubescent to glandular; to about    16.0 cm long and 7.0 mm wide, average 6.5 cm long and 5.0 mm wide at    base;-   Petiole color: Adaxial distally nearest RHS 146D and proximally    between RHS 146D and RHS 145C moderately blushed with nearest RHS    N79B; abaxial distally nearest 145C and proximally between RHS 146D    and RHS 145C heavily blushed with RHS N79B;-   Flower description: Perfect; bilabiate; zygomorphic; fused corolla    portion glabrous adaxial and puberulent abaxial;-   Flower size: 28.0 mm long to tip of exserted stigma, 18.0 mm tall,    9.0 mm wide; corolla 24.0 mm long, 18.0 mm tall and 9.0 mm wide;    corolla fused basal portion 9.0 mm long, 6.0 mm tall and 3.0 mm    wide;-   Inflorescence: Panicle; branched at about 45° angle, rarely compound    branched; branches to 32 cm long and 3.0 mm across base; flowering    portion 25 cm tall and 34 cm across; verticillate with flowering    generally beginning at lower verticils and advancing up the scape,    but not all flowers at each verticil opening at the same time giving    the effect of a scape being in continuous flower for longer periods;    typically six flowers per verticil; average distance between    verticils about 10.0 mm, greater proximally and less distally; about    17 verticils per plant; about 200 to 300 flowers per panicle;-   Flowering period: Flowering beginning late spring for about six    weeks and repeating if initial inflorescences removed;-   Peduncle: Quadrangular; pubescent to glandular; to 32.0 mm long and    7.0 mm across at base;-   Peduncle color: Proximal portion nearest RHS 187B and distal portion    nearest RHS 146B with quadrangular edges nearest RHS 146D;-   Flower attitude: Flower midline projected about 10 degree angle    above horizontal and hood petal about 45 degree angle above    horizontal;-   Flower longevity: About four days on the plant or as cut flower;    self-cleaning, petals not persistent;-   Flower fragrance: None detected under present growing conditions;-   Flower buds one day prior to anthesis: Arcuate dorsally, flat    ventrally and flattened slightly laterally; with rounded apex;    pubescent; about 18.0 mm long, 9.0 mm tall and 4.5 mm wide;-   Bud color: Exposed petals blend between RHS 94A and RHS N88A;    abaxial calyx nearest RHS 137B distally, nearest RHS 148D proximally    with veins of nearest RHS NN137A and dorsally blushed with nearest    RHS 187A;-   Petals: Bilabiate corolla; upper hood lip and lower lip (labium)    with three lobes;-   Hood (upper) petal: Glandular abaxial, glabrous adaxial; about 24.0    mm long, 6.0 mm tall and 3.0 mm across; folded along longitudinal    axis; apex rounded and emarginate, with 2 mm deep notched apex and    base fused with labium in proximal 9.0 mm;-   Hood color: Adaxial nearest RHS N88B, abaxial nearest RHS N88A;-   Labium (lower) petal: Consisting of three lobes, two proximal side    lobes and larger center lobe;    -   -   Center lobe.—Obcordate, cupped; truncate emarginate apex            with notch about 1.0 mm deep; margin slightly crenulate;            puberulent in 5 mm of abaxial base before tube, glabrous            adaxial and distal abaxial; size about 20.0 mm long            (including fuse base) extending 11 mm beyond fusion point;            natural width 7.0 mm and when spread to 11.0 mm.-   Center lobe color: Adaxial nearest RHS N89B and abaxial between    RHSN88A and RHS N89B;-   Side lobes: Lanceolate; apices rounded; base fused to corolla tube;    revolute; puberulent to glandular abaxial and glabrous adaxial; size    about 4.0 mm long from fusion and 1.5 mm wide; Side lobes color:    nearest RHS N88A adaxial and abaxial;-   Androecium: Two, fused with labium, contained within hood petal    except when triggered by pollinator;    -   -   Filament.—Glabrous, fused about 9.0 mm from base of labium            petal; arcuate around inside of hood petal; about 16.0 mm            long and less than 0.5 mm diameter with a 4.0 mm long trip            mechanism longitudinally folded at base; color of filament            nearest RHS 85A; color of trip mechanism base and center            nearest RHS 85A, around perimeter nearest RHS 86A.        -   Anther.—Glabrous; oblong ellipsoidal; dorsifixed;            longitudinal; about 3.0 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter; color            nearest RHS N187A.        -   Pollen.—Abundant; less than 0.1 mm circumference; color            nearest RHS 12A.-   Gynoecium: One, arcuate around inside of hood petal;    -   -   Style.—Exserted; about 25.0 mm long and 0.5 mm diameter;            color nearest RHS NN155D at base, transitioning distally            about 6.0 mm before stigma split to nearest RHS 86A.        -   Stigma.—Bifurcate and curved in the terminal 2.0 mm; about            0.3 mm diameter; apex acute; color nearest RHS 86A.        -   Ovary.—Superior; four seeded; color between RHS N163D and            RHS 163B.-   Fruit: Nutlet, one to four per flower; globose; about 1.5 mm    diameter; color darker than RHS 200A;-   Calyx: Campanulate; fused in basal 6.0 mm; tube about 10.0 mm long    and 8.0 mm tall at mouth and 4.0 mm wide; lower set bifurcate in    distal 3.5 mm; upper set of trifurcate in distal 2.0 mm;-   Sepals: Five, three upper and two lower; linear; acute apex; fused    in basal 6.0 mm;-   Sepal color: Adaxial proximal 3 mm nearest RHS 137C with veins    nearest RHS 137C, distal portion nearest RHS 138A; abaxial calyx in    low light nearest RHS 137B distally, nearest RHS 148D proximally    with veins of nearest RHS NN137A and dorsally blushed with nearest    RHS 187A, in high light exposure between RHS N92A and RHS N92B;-   Bracts: Each verticil subtended by two opposite deltoid bracts; apex    narrowly acute to acuminate, base sessile and truncate, margin    crenate; glabrous adaxial and pubescent abaxial; bract size up to    30.0 mm long and 22.0 mm wide, decreasing distally;-   Bract color: Variable with light intensity, in lower light adaxial    surfaces between RHS 137A and RHS NN37A with midrib nearest RHS    145D, abaxial nearest RHS NN137C with midrib of nearest RHS 145D;    color with more intense light exposure between RHS N92A and RHS    N92B; on both surfaces;-   Pedicels: Cylindrical; puberulent to glandular; about 2.5 mm long    and 1.0 mm diameter; slightly drooping at flower anthesis;-   Pedicel color: Nearest RHS N77A;-   Culture: Plants of Salvia ‘Evening Attire’ perform best with    adequate moisture and good drainage and are hardy from USDA zone 3    to 8.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistant to diseases and pests beyond    that common to Salvia has not been noted.

It is claimed:
 1. The new and distinct perennial Salvia plant named‘Evening Attire’ as herein described and illustrated.